The Ref

The Ref
The Ref
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ted Demme
Written by	Richard LaGravenese; Marie Weiss;
Produced by	Ron Bozman; Richard LaGravenese; Jeffrey Weiss;
Starring	Denis Leary; Judy Davis; Kevin Spacey; Glynis Johns; Raymond J. Barry;
Cinematography	Adam Kimmel
Edited by	Jeffrey Wolf
Music by	David A. Stewart
Production; companies	Touchstone Pictures; Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films;
Distributed by	Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Release date	March 11, 1994;
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$11 million

The Ref (Hostile Hostages in some countries) is a 1994 American Christmas black comedy crime film directed by Ted Demme, written by Richard LaGravenese and Marie Weiss, and starring Denis Leary, Judy Davis, and Kevin Spacey. The plot centers on a burglar who, while evading capture from the police, is forced to take a bickering, dysfunctional family hostage on Christmas Eve. The burglar finds himself having to act as a de facto marriage counselor, or "referee", between the squabbling husband and wife, a situation that becomes more complicated when the husband's relatives drop by for Christmas dinner.

The film was released on March 11, 1994 and was a box office disappointment, though positive reviews praised its dark humor, dialogue, and performances. It later found a wider audience through home video and cable TV airings, becoming a cult movie and an alternative to traditional Christmas movies during the holiday season.^[2]^[3]

^ The Ref at Box Office Mojo
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[mojo-1] The Ref at Box Office Mojo

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